Comparison of perceived educational value of an in-person versus virtual medical conference

Abstract

Purpose: Though prior literature has shown that virtual conferences improve accessibility and provide a comparable educational experience, further research is required to characterize their educational value.
 Methods: In this repeated cross-sectional study, demographic and survey data were compared between attendance perspectives for the in-person student-led internal medicine conference held in 2019 and subsequent virtual conference held in 2020.
 Results: There were 146 attendees at the in-person conference and 200 attendees at the online conference, in which 32 (22% response rate) and 52 responses (26% response rate) were gathered, respectively. Comparison of Likert Scale data via Mann-Whitney U Test revealed that learning objectives were better met in-person for the overall conference (p < 0.01) and didactic sessions (p < .05), but not for workshops, in which there was no significant difference. Survey takers noted the virtual conference to be more accessible on multiple factors, but felt as though their potential for interaction with other participants was more limited.
 Conclusions: Results indicate that though the virtual conference appeared more accessible to attendees, overall learning objectives for the conference and didactic sessions were better met in-person. Interestingly however, there was no observed difference in perceived educational value for small group workshops.

Integration of virtual platforms for enhanced conference experience: Data-based evidence from the Society of Interdisciplinary Placebo Studies 2021 conference

“…However, this survey was completed by only 11% of the attendees and did not show the full extent of locations attendees were from. Other conferences that provided a post-conference survey had varying attendee response rates ranging from 16 to 89.7% ( Veldhuizen et al, 2020 ; Chan et al, 2021 ; Holman et al, 2021 ; Karabacak et al, 2021 ; Nelson et al, 2021 ; Stamelou et al, 2021 ; Wang et al, 2021 ; Kim et al, 2022 ; Vinchenzo et al, 2022 ). This difference could be due to the time lag between the end of the SIPS conference and time the survey was delivered (80 days after the conference).…”

Preparing Effective Narrative Evaluations for the Medical School Performance Evaluation (MSPE)

“…Initial sessions were submitted to and accepted at national and regional conferences that were later canceled or converted to virtual platforms. Even though the literature has described less robust engagement in online workshops, 18 our group was able to pivot and adapt the materials to virtual sessions with strong faculty participation. While the initial webinar provided easy dissemination of information, it was clear that participants wanted more interactive activities and practice.…”

Psychosocial Effects of Remote Reading with Telephone Support versus In-Person Health Education for Diverse, Older Adults

“…In-person health education programs have historically existed as an effective method to enhance learning and may enhance psychosocial wellness ( Chan et al, 2021 ). In-person educational environments promote collaboration which may lead to increased interpersonal group interactions and social relationships, specifically due to perspective taking and thoughtful communication that occurs in the presence of peers ( Perry et al, 2019 ).…”

“…Furthermore, amplifying social engagement with individuals beyond one’s social circle of family and close friends may allow for greater level of cognitive and physical activity ( Gardner, 2014 ). Although there are several benefits to in-person learning, substantial barriers to this type of education include limited time flexibility to learn content and difficulty in commuting to an in-person learning environment (i.e., lack of mobility and transportation) ( Chan et al, 2021 ). Therefore, telehealth approaches are increasingly popular, and 2020’s COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for more e-health options ( Garfin, 2020 ).…”

“…Answering a phone call may be a simpler approach that is widely accessible to older populations ( Rush et al, 2018 ). Additionally, “low-tech” remote learning via workbook and telephone support may be an effective comparison study arm because it emphasizes the impact of individual learning versus group, partnered learning observed during in-person health education ( Chan et al, 2021 ; Linton et al, 2014 ).…”